Brake mechanism



April 25, 1933. A p KLASNG 1,905,400

BRAKE MECHANI SM Filed July 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Apr. `25, 1933 AuGUsrUs r. Kraemer, or (CHICAGO, yirmiriois BRAKE MEGHANISM p Application filed July V24',

This invention relates to improvements in brake mechanisms; and more particularly to` improvements in hand brakes for railway cars. It involves several improvementsover V the construction of brake mechanism disclosed in my patent onrailway car hand brake,` No. 1,749,948, dated March 11,1930.

One of the prime objects of this invention is to simplify and expedite the mounting onto a railway car of bothfthe pressure retaining valve and the upper brake Vunit of a hand brake mechanism, and to mount the saine so as to greatly facilitate the operating of said valve and hand brake by the brakeman; and this-Ipreferably accomplish by providing a unitary mounting means or frame for supporting Vsaid* pressure Valve and brake unit combined thereon, so that only one supporting means or frame need be secured onto the Vcar wallandboth the Valve and brake will be grouped close together for convenient operation of either one or both thereof.V Another object is to arrange the construction in this type of handbrake so that the brake staff can be readily removed and replaced, which becomes especially .de-

sirable in the event that it has been struck and means on the stail:l for an extended length of time. Still another object is to Aprovide a hand brake construction of this type wherein the elements are'so arranged that the chain winding means will bring the chainnearer the longitudinal axis or center-line of the car, than in my above referred to patented construction, so as to enable the lower brake unit also to be placed nearer said center linel and away from the car wheels, to avoid said lower i930. sriai No; 4

the like.v l These and other objects and advantages are attained with this invention, as willbe come apparent from the l following. descrip-l tion, taken in connectionA with the ,acCompanying drawin gs, in which,.--l

1 is a partial end elevational view-of a railway cai' with. a brake mechanism which embodies my invention mounted thereon-:Q` f

Y Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof,

taken on line 2%2 ofF 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of this im-v proved form :of brake mechanism.4 i i i Nr e unit being'struck and` injured said wheels Aduring the rounding ofy curves f and Fig. is a vertical sectionalviewthereof, f

taken on line i-dof Fig. 3.

`The drawings v illustrate my invention rin its preferred form of construction, .and in Figst 1 and Q it is shown applied to1 a verticali ly extending wall, as the'end wall or rear wall 6, Aof a railway. rugations or cor car 7, said wall havingl corrugated portions 8 extending rearwardlythe'reon, The brake mechai'iisml is positioned at the required'distanceoutwardly or laterally from the top platform;9 which extends over the carabove the longil tudinal axis or center-line of said ,c`ar,`and at a suitable distance above tlie'end'platform or brake-step f lhe illustrated form of my invention 'coni-V prises 'a supporting mechanismor frame 11 for `supporting thereonY andmounting therewith the upper brake unitfand `the pressure retaining valve in juxtaposition. Thisframe a'unitary constructionwhich comprises a combination housing including an upper sleeve-like housing portion 125 and an outer hood-like housingportion 13 which merges with said portion 12 and'has a backing plate orrearplate 14 thereon from which is preferably of said upper porti on v1 2 arises.V

The means'for mounting the pressurerefv taining valve on this frame preferably com? prises a vertically extendingv bracketyor plate from the outer housing por tion 18 and is provided with slots lf'irad-` justably moimting thereon the pressure rer 15 which. arises taining valve 17 drawings.`

, as indicated in igfl: of the which extend rearwardly from the end parts of said backing plate 14, and having holes 179 Atherein for receiving suitable securing elements for securing said arms onto the inner or depressed wall part 21 of said rear wall. Depending bracket means 22 extend from plate14, being substantially a downward continuation of said backing plate, but having portions cut-out therefrom at the lower part, as shown at 23 in Fig. 3, thereby lessening the weight of the frame, and providing depending bracket arms 24 which merge at the lower end and have holes 25 therein for receiving suitablev securing elements 26 to secure said arms to one of the corrugated portions 8 of the end wall. A reinforcing flange 27 extends around'the outer edge of said arms, and a reinforcing flange 28 extends along the outer edge of the outer housing portion 13.

The upper sleeve-like housing portion 12 includes atubular part or cuff 30 which has an upper flange 31 with a pair of ears 32 thereon. A tubular casing member or cage 33 contains restricted bearing ends or necks 34 and 3'5 at its top and bottom ends, respectively,and an enlarged portion or body 36 therebetween, which is mounted in said cuif 30, said' Cage having an upper flange 37 resting on said iiange 31 for supporting it in said upper housing portion, and it is removably secured in position by means of bolts 38 extending through suitable holes in ears 39 provided on said flange 37 and through similar holes provided in'said ears 32 on flange 31.

A brakestaii' 4Q is rotatably mounted in the ends 34 and 35 of cage 33, and the enlarged intermediate ortion 3 6 of the cage provides a grease poc et 41 for storing hard grease therein, Vto automatically andv continuously lubricate the brake staff` for an extended length of time. A hand wheel 42 is removably mounted on the upper end of the staff, with a nut 43, and a gear 44 is provided on the lower end of the staff, being preferably in the form of a bevel pinion and integral with the staff. The lower end of the/pinion and staff are supported and bear rotatably upon the top face ofv a supporting projection or boss 45 ,provided Yon a horizontal bottom wall or part 46 of the upper housing portion 1 2, directly above the backing plate 14 and the depending bracket means 22as. best shown` in Fig.' 4, thereby providing a firm 'supplt for the brake staff; Said boss is preferably formedintegral withv said housing part 46', and with this arrangement for supporting the staif no further supporting elements are needed therefor, as was rquired in my above referred to patented construction and in similar ones, thus simplifying and decreasing the cost of the present brake mechanism; furthermore, the integral construction of the pinion with the stadV enables the use of a smaller pinion, and consequently alsoof a smaller coacting gear wheel, thereby further decreasing the weight and the cost of this construction over those now in the market.

The outer hood-like housing portion 13 includes an inner arcuate portion 50, of greater radius-'than the main outer portion, whereby it is merged with the lower front part of the upper housing portion 12." Inner and outer supporting sleeves5l and 52 are provided respectively, in the backing plate 14 and in the front orrouter end of said housing portion, for mountingftherein a shaft 53. which is held stationary by a pin or rivet 54 andy whereon is journaled a spiral drum 55. for winding the chain portion 56 of the power transmitting means 57 which connects the upper brake unit operatively with the bell-crank 58 of the lower brake unit 59 mounted at the lower Arear end of the car, and which is more fully/disclosed and cllaimed'zin my patent above referred to. Y S

A gear wheel 60 is provided on the inner end of the spiral drum, and it is preferably made integral therewith,A to simplify the construction. This gearwheel is preferably arranged to provide a Vbevel 'gear havingfits teeth 61 directed inwardly, in mesh with the teeth of bevel pinion 44 on.l staff 40. It is also provided with ratchet teeth 62, which extend radially outwardly from a rim or peripheral portion 60 of' wheel 60, beyond the diameter kof the bevel gear and'V its teeth 61. This kportion 60 projects laterally over teeth 61, providing i-ange means extending also over the teeth ofpin-ion 44; thereby aidingcage 33 in preventing upward movement of saidv pinion away' from said gear wheel. A lug 63 extends at a slant outwardly'r from the bevel gear and is integral therewith, and a U-bolt 64 engages in the upperl link of chain portion 56 and has its arms extending through holes provided in said lug, being-removably heldl on 'i the lugjby nuts or elements 65.

' The drum is provided with a spiral chain guidingrib 66, and aspiral chain bearing rib 67 ofsmaller diameter than said rib 66.

These ribs cause the chain to be wound outis wardly on the drum, during the brake applying operation,` and 'to bring the successive links alternately on the opposite sides of said bearing rib 67, so as to avoid d-istortion of the links, by the winding of the chain' on `the l from itsl supporting-sleeves `51 and 52, afnotch 68 is provided in the outer sleeve'52 to extend around and outward of the upper head orend of retaining pin v54j' VAfter said pinv has'been withdrawn from sli`aft'53,as byremoving the lower head of the pin and withdrawing it upwardly, a suitable punch or tool can then be inserted in the pin hole in the end of said shaft and the shaft withdrawn from the drum by working the punch and moving it outwardly Vin said notch68. Y

A pawl 70 is provided for engaging ratchet teeth 62 of gear wheel 60`and to retain 'the wheel and drum' stationary. The pawl is mounted on' and turns with a shaft 71 which is rotatably mounted -in suitable bracket means 72 arising from the arcuatepart 50 of the housing. A weight 73 has side lug or ear 7 4 with a suitable opening therein through which the pawl shaft 71 extends, andwhere' by said weight is enabled to swing'l on* said shaft. Saidlug'has an arcuate rib or ridge 75 at its end, and said shaft has aV segmental stop shoulder 76 on its outer end or head.

The pawl is held in its operative position, in engagement with ratchet teeth 62, when the weight is swung outward, as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and the upper end 77 of said arcuate `rib 7 5 engages the inner end 7 8 of said shoulder 76. Vhenthe weight is swung over toward the upper housing portion 12, the lower end 79 of said rib engages the outer end 8O ot said shoulder 76, and swings the pawl away andfree froinsaid ratchet teeth, as further disclosed and claimed in m patent on winding means, No. 1,749,950, dated hiarch 11, 1930. Y

The above disclosed arrangement of the gear elements and the housingportions and associated parts of the brake mechanism, protects the inwardly extending gearl teethv 61 of the bevel gear from rain, sleet, snow, ice, dirt, etc. g and by turning the hand wheel V42 in the customary and established clock-wise direction, the gear wheel 60 is turned counterclock-wise and in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, thereby winding'the chain on the drum and drawing it upwards on that side of the drum which is nearest to the plattoi-m 9 and to the longitudinal center-line or axis of the car; and since the` upper brake unit and the brake stati must remain a certain minimum distance at least away from said center-line or axis, this disclosed arrangement of elements enables the lower brake unit withits bell-crank to be mounted nearer said longitudinal center-line and farther away from Vthe wheels of the car, and yet provide a straight upward pull by said chain on the bellcrank and the lower brake unit, as best indicated in Fig. 1, and avoid having said bell-'crank orlower unit'strucl; and damaged by the wheels oi! the car during the rounding of curves and the like. The brake staff andy the pinion thereon are alsoreadily removable from the housing, preferablyvbyrem'oving the pair of bolts 38, then sliding cage33 up; wards, out of collar`30-ofthe housing'portion 12,' and thenby slightly tilting the staisoas to remove the teeth of pinion 44 from under the peripheral flange means 60v of gearwheel 60, withdrawing the `stawiththe pinion 44V from theV housing portion 12; then by removlng nut 43 and hand wheel 42, the sta' can be slid dow-n out of the'cage, and replaced with an undamaged stai and y pinion thereon. 'I claim Vas my linvention 1. In a brake mechanism for a railwaycar' having a wall with outwardly projecting corrugations, 'supporting means including integral bracket means comprising inner blacket means including horizontalarmshaving vertical end portions for securing tothe car wall and lower depending bracket means se# curable to a corrugation, integral :housing means on said supporting means, including upper sleevedike portionhaving its axis directly above said depending bracket means for carrying the brake staif with apinion on its lower end, sa1d housingfnieans also 1 Y Vincluding inner bracket arms securabie Vto the car end and dependingbracket armsse' curable to the corrugated portion, integral housing means onsaid supporting means and comprising an upper sleeve-like portion positioned over said bracket arms for carrying the brake staff with a pinion, al'sojanouter hood-like housing portion extending out-r wardly from said arms for carrying the brake drum andhaving an arcuate enlarged portion whereby it merges with the front of said .upper portion and for housing a gear which has bevel teeth extending inwardly and mesh` ing with the outer Vside of said pinion, anda bracket plate arising integral from said arcu' ate portion for carrying thereona pressure retaining valve. Y j Y 3. Ina railway car brake, a housing comprising an upper 'inner sleeve-like portion and an outer hood-like portion having an en-` f larged'arcuate part whereby it is merged with the front part of said upper portion, bracket means inwardly of said outer portion and `below said upper portionvfor mountingthe housing on the car wall,a brake staff having a bevel pinion integral with its lower end', means forr mounting said sta'ii vertically'in said upper portion and removable therefrom .with the pinion, a'chain winding'drum and means forgournalmg 1t 1n said outer housing portion, and 'a bevel gear on said 'drumt'o lle rotatetherewith` and having its teeth directed inwardly in mesh withlsaid pinion, said gear teeth being thereby protected in said arcuate part and the housing against rain, snow, and

ice.

4. In a railway car brake, a housing having-means for mounting it on a car wall and comprising a tubular upper portion for encasing a brake staif having a pinion on its lower end, cage means in said tubular portion for rotatably embracing said staff, said cage means having a restricted upper neck embracing said staf and also having flange means-extending outwardly over said housing portion, to prevent. moisture 'from entering said cagemeans and housing, and means for mounting said flange means on saidhousing portion for quickly removing and replacing said staii' and pinion together from said housing portion and from said cage means.

a 5. In a railway car brake, a housing having means for mounting it on a car wall and comprising a tubular upper portion and a brake staff therein having a pinion on its lower end, tubular meansin said tubular portion for rotatably embracing said staff, said tubular means having its lower part engaging saidpinion for retaining it in position and having itsV upper part embracing said stai and provided with means for. eX- tending outwardly over said tubular upper portion, to prevent moisture from entering said tubular means and housing, and means for mounting said tubular means on said tubular portion to enable ready removal'of said means and staff and pinion from said upper portion.

6. In a railway car brake, a housing com.- prising an upper tubular portion and an outer hood-like portion merging with the front part thereof, bracket means on the inward wall part of said outer portionfor mounting the housing on a car wall, a brake staff having a pinion on its lower end rotatably supported on the lower part of the upper tubular portion directly above said wall part,

mea-ns embracingy said staif forrotatablyY mounting it with the pinion in said tubular portion to facilitate ready removal ofthe staff and pinion therefrom, and a chain winding member having a bevel gear on its inner end and journalled in the outer hood-like portion, said gear having its face positioned against said inward wall part and its teeth being directed inwardly in mesh with the teeth of said pinion, thereby protecting the teeth of said gear in said housing against rai-I1, snow and ice. Y Y Y i 7. In railway carbrake, a housing having means for mounting it on a vertically extending wall of a car, said housing including a tubular outer portion and an upper'portion Vmerging with said outer portion, a chain winding member having a gear wheel on its inner end4 Journaled in saidouter portlon, a

vertical brake staii' and a pinion on its lower end for actuating said gear wheel, a boss in said upper portion for bearing said pinion and staff thereon, and means including a tubular member which rotatably embraces said staif and engages said pinion, for journaling said sta-if and pinion in said upper portion to facilitate ready removal and replacement thereof. l n

8. In a railwaycar brake, a housing having means for mounting it on a car wall and comprising a tubular upper portion, a tubular cage having an enlarged body portion and restricted end portions mounted in said upper portion, readily releasable means for securing said cage in -said housing, and a brake staif journaled in said end portions, said enlarged body portion providing a grease pocket for storing grease therein to lubricate said stan' in said end portions.

9, In a railway car brake, a housing having means for mounting it on a car wall and comprising a tubular upper portion having a collar thereon, a tubular cage having restricted bearing portions at its ends and having an enlarged intermediate portion mounted in said collar and providing a grease pocket for storing lubricant therein, a brake staff journaled in said bearing portions and carrying a pinion .fixed on its lower end beneath said cage, and means on said` cage and said upper portion for releasably securing them together, whereby said cage is slidably removable froin said collar and thereupon the staff and pinion are readily removable from said cage and replaceable.

l0. In a raliway car brake,- a housing mountable on the car and including an inner bearing sleeve and an outer bearing sleeve, the latter containingr a notch, a shaft mounted in said sleeves and having a hole at its end to extend down from said notch, a` drum removably mounted on said shaft, and a pin in said hole' to secure said shaft in said sleeves and having a head positioned in said notch, said pin being withdrawable from said shaft to enable a tool to be inserted through said notch into said hole for prying said shaft loose from said sleeves.

Il. In a railway car brake, a lower brake unit mounted adjacent the lower edge of an end wall and sideways of the longitudinal axis of the car, an upper brake unit mounted adjacent the upper edge of said end wall, over said lower unit, and including a housing anda drum therein having its axis extending outwardly. from the car wall, a gear on the inner end. of said drum having its gear 'teeth directed inwardly toward said end. wall, flexible power transmitting means connecting said lower and upper brake units and being wind'able' on. said drum, and a brake staff' and pinion mounted in said housing at fthe inner side of and in meshwith said teeth, to operate the drum so that during the brake applying operation said iexible means will be drawn upwardly on that side of the drum which is nearest said longitudinal axis of the car, thereby providing for mounting said lower brake unit nearer the Center of said lower edge and out of reach' of the wheels of the car.

12. In a railway car brake, a housing in- Y cluding a tubular portion and means for mounting it on the wall of a car, a vertically extending brake staff, tubular means mounted in said housing portion and having means including a lower bearing sleeve for journaling said stafl'I within said portion, means on said tubular portion and on said tubular means for securing them together for convenient separation thereof, means in the lower part of said housing portion provided with an upper bearing face, and a pinion fixed on the lower end of said staff to rotatably bear on said face and being ooniined between said.

bearing face and said bearing sleeve to prevent excess vertioal movement of said pinion and staff.

13. In a railway car brake, a housing mountable on the car and including inner bearing means and outer bearing means, the latter containing a notch, a shaft mounted in said bearing means, a drum removably mounted on said shaft, and a securing member having a portion engaging in said shaft and having a portion positioned in said notch, for securing said shaft in said bearing means, whereby said Securing member is withdrawable from said shaft to enable a tool to be inserted through said notch into said shaft in place of said member for prying the shaft loose from said bearing means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my,

name to this specification.

AUGUSTUS F. KLASING. 

